The Ministry of Defense said the joint operation targeted fighters affiliated with the Al-Qaeda-linked group after they launched an assault on the strategic area, located approximately 114 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu. Officials confirmed that additional militants were wounded, though no official casualty figures were released for government or allied forces.

Local residents described intense fighting during the early hours of Thursday, with sustained gunfire and explosions reported across the area. "The clashes were heavy and lasted for hours. We stayed inside until the forces moved through and the situation became calm,” said a resident who spoke to Diplomat News Network on condition of attribution due to security concerns.

Mubarak remains a strategically important location that was recaptured from Al-Shabaab during military operations conducted in the month of Ramadan. Since then, authorities have been working to reopen key roads and restore access routes that had previously been blocked by the group.

Security analysts say Al-Shabaab continues to target recently recovered areas in an effort to disrupt stabilization and reconstruction efforts. Habib Yusuf, a security analyst based in Mogadishu, said such attacks are part of a broader pattern aimed at testing government control and undermining public confidence.

The Ministry of Defense stated that ongoing military operations will continue in coordination with African Union forces to eliminate remaining militant elements.